Baltimore County Renames Robert E. Lee Park

Baltimore County took a step toward renaming a park that carried a Confederate reference. Robert E. Lee Park is now Lake Roland Park.

The park, which is just over the northern border of Baltimore City, was one of several local public spaces and statues that were flagged for review amid new debate about Confederate symbols in the wake of the shootings in Charleston, S.C.

Now, the park is named for the lake at the center rather than the general of the Rebel army. It’s also slated to get a new, $1.2 million nature center, which officials broke ground on this week.

Lake Roland Education Center (rendering).

The County is pushing forward with the name, even donning a new website. However, to make it really official and put the new name on the books, the Baltimore City Council has to pass legislation, the Baltimore Sun reports.

There could be more name changes coming. In June, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake appointed a commission to look at renaming Confederate symbols, and they have yet to make recommendations.

2 COMMENTS

I am sad that the County is willing to pay for an “education center” when the park itself should be the center and the money better spent on land preservation. Moving people indoors for “education” defeats the purpose of the park entirely. All of our efforts are so short-sited.